The Ottawa free trader., 1887-11-12

taxes was the only ODl!BHlion one c""'" "o'
nav in coon or deer skins, and "sltch,' yet
liz was almost impossible Tor them to get
money enough for that purpose The ear
ly settler worked hard aud bis fare was
Icoasa After an exhaustive days labor
tired and hungry, he frequently had To
pound corn for his mush for supper a'
an improvement on the hominy block
some one improvised rude mill consist
| ing of stones, one of which revolved up
on another, upon the head Of flour barrel
II was located nj tire springs north OF
Reeds and for time was well pa'ronzed,
until Mr.. Green built mill on large
scale and got custom enough 10 afford
grinding at figures within the reach OF the
poorest settler, and then the hominy block
was abandoned.
EARLY SETTLERS.
In the DAYS when Mr. Reed snd his
father waded through the tall grass along
the Indian trail between Chicago and the
mouth of Fox river, there was no joliet
no Morris and no Marseilles, and Ottawa
was just beginning to be, and that was a
house or two on the south bluffs. The
frs, settler In Marseilles was probably
w llinm Richie. Next came Lowell
Kimball, an active and Intelligent business
man. Then came the Harringtons, Sim
mons and Ed. Hays. The earliest denizens
of west Brokfield were DR. Graham, who
was the partner of the celebrated DR., Mott,
of New York City, and doctor OF rare
skill. He had grown old and 10 escape
practice, fading that he could not retire II
he would In Gotham, gathered up as much
ot his money AS he could and entered
large tract of land In Brookfield where he
lived comfortably many years lie was
well read. bluff, kind and eccentric old
gentleman, AMI Ia spite of his desire To
quit medicine and enjoy his "otIum cum
din his ann p9tdtoes" 0s he paraphrazed
the familiar Latin of "worth, ease and
dignity The neighbors soon discovered
that he was really and truly "big medi-
cine man. OF splendid skill, and 50, In
spite of himself he received frequent calls
at all times and In all seasons, and the old
doctors kindness of heart invariably got
away with his wishes In the premises. An
old lady who was his next neighbor, as
soon rs she found he was celebrated ply
scian, at once became affected with ills too
numerous to mention, ana the doctors
services we're hourly In requisition. The
old gentleman, exasperated at her foolish
ness, called frequently, made grand ado
of mixing up pills she was TO take In doses
of one in every fifteen minutes fer AZ
hours, and left predicting her complete re-
covery at the expiration of that time. She
took the medicine, got well, boasted Of the
doctors triumph and was paralyzed on
hearing frCm the doctor that the pills were
simply made of bread She did not EN-
ploy him again.
Besides these settlers were the Jennings,
Sglers, Lewises, Cages, and in the east of
the town the Dudleys, Drain, Moxson and
Armstrong.
OF the settlers who were there when Mr..
Reed reached Ottawa, who are now living
are Lewis Long, Jerry Pembroke and him
self.
Mr. Kimball's saw mill was built In 1884
Mr. Reed helped TO raise his grst mill at
Marseilles, In 1896, and soon after both
burned down.
To Mr.. and Mrs. Reed were born two
children, Mary dead and Emiline, her
fathers housekeeper, her mother being
dead several years.
Mr. Reed weighs 265 pounds, is In OK
cellent health, and good circumstances, and
enjoys his old days and never misses an
old settlers picnic. j. G.. ARMSTRONG.